Mung Bean Curd with Chili Oil Sauce (Liang Fen, 凉粉)
A traditional Chinese street food that is bursting with the flavors of a savory spicy sauce, liang fen is just what you need to bring a taste of China to your own kitchen this weekend! {Gluten-Free adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use rice vinegar (you might need to use a bit more) to replace the Chinkiang vinegar. This recipe is from Xi’an Famous Foods Cookbook by Jason Wang. I made small changes based on my personal preferences, such as increasing the sauce and using cucumber instead of peppers to serve with the bean curd.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/2 cup (120 g) mung bean starch
- 3 cups water (, divided)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (, sliced)
- 2 tablespoons homemade chili oil (, including the oil and the chili flakes, or to taste)
- homemade black bean sauce (*Footnote 1) ((Optional))
- Chopped cilantro and/or green onions (, for garnish)
- A handful of shredded cucumber ((Optional))
Instructions
- 1
Add 2 1/2 cups of water to a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn the heat down to a simmer.
- 2
In a small bowl, combine the mung bean starch and 1/2 cup of water. Stir until the starch is fully dissolved.
- 3
Prepare a rectangular or square baking dish that can hold at least 4 cups of water but is small enough, so the mixture is at least 1” (2.5 cm) thick. (*Footnote 2)
- 4
Slowly pour the mung bean mixture into the simmering water, while stirring gently with a ladle or a whisk. Continue to stir until the mixture in the pot starts to thicken and small bubbles start to form. It should start turning somewhat translucent. Simmer for another 6 to 8 minutes while stirring, until the mixture thickens further, like a thick sauce texture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- 5
Let cool at room temperature until solidified. It takes about 2 hours if you use a shallower dish, but up to 3 or 4 hours if using a deeper dish. Once congealed, you can store the jelly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- 6
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, stir to mix well.
- 7
Place a large cutting board over the baking dish and flip it. Jiggle the dish slightly so the jelly falls onto the cutting board. Slice the jelly into 1/2” (1 cm) by 2 1/2” (5 cm) sticks, or any bite-size shapes you prefer.
- 8
Transfer the sliced mung bean curd into serving bowls, drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the sauce, and serve chilled or at room temperature.